Beth Ray ARCS Award available in 2027-2028, nominations open in September 2026
ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary Award available in 2028-2029, nominations open in September 2027
The ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Oregon Chapter advances science and technology in the United States by providing financial awards to academically outstanding students at Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. Recipients of ARCS awards are U.S. citizens or permanent residents pursuing Ph.D. degrees in science, engineering, math, technology, and medical research.
The Office of Graduate Education at Oregon State University partners with the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter to solicit nominees in two award categories. Each of the ARCS Foundation Scholar Awards is awarded every three years. Awards will be determined by the Office of Graduate Education Dean.
The Office of Graduate Education at Oregon State University partners with the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter to solicit nominees in two award categories:
- Beth Ray Arcs Foundation Scholar Award – This award is provided through the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter and funded by contributions from former OSU President Ed Ray and the Office of Graduate Education in honor and celebration of Beth Ray.
- ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary OSU Scholar Award – This award is provided through the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter and the Office of Graduate Education for the recruitment and retention of qualifying doctoral students of approved science and engineering programs.
Beth Ray ARCS and ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary Award Details
ARCS Foundation Scholar Awards total $18,000, payable over three years at $6,000 per year. As an unrestricted award, funds may be used in any way that advances the nominee’s research. This award may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship. Awards are disbursed in October each year as a direct payment.
OSU Eligibility for Beth Ray ARCS and ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary awards
- Nominee must have been regularly admitted or recommended for graduate study through the domestic student application for the next academic year.
- Nominee must have a minimum entering cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5.
- Nominee must be a newly admitted doctoral student for the appropriate summer or fall matriculation term in any of the ARCS-supported graduate programs outlined on this ARCS webpage. Students who successfully completed a previous degree at OSU are eligible if their continuation to another/new degree meets with the spirit and intent of recruiting new graduate students. In these cases, the student must have submitted a new application for admission or a Change of Degree to add the new degree. These documents must indicate an official start date for the summer or fall term for the next academic year.
Please note that a student who has been readmitted to the same degree within the same degree program is not considered a newly admitted student for purposes of this award. A DAF does not need to be submitted at the time of nomination but does need to be submitted prior to any award offers being made. - Nominee must be enrolled for at least nine graduate credits each term (fall, winter, spring) during each of the three consecutive funding years to receive the award.
- Nominees in graduate programs that are ARCS-approved or that have historically not had an ARCS Scholar, but are eligible for funding as determined by ARCS, will be given preference in the selection process.
Nomination Procedure for Beth Ray ARCS and ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary awards
Each of the eligible ARCS-approved OSU colleges may nominate no more than one nominee (total) per award cycle. Those colleges (link to current ARCS-eligible programs) are:
- College of Agricultural Sciences
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Forestry
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Science
- Office of Graduate Education
Award criteria and nomination procedures for Beth Ray ARCS and ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary awards
Scholarships and Fellowships Application Form Overview
The Beth Ray ARCS Foundation Scholar Award is provided through the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter and funded by contributions from former OSU President Ed Ray and the Office of Graduate Education.
Award Details
The Beth Ray ARCS Foundation Oregon Scholar Award is $18,000, payable over three years at $6,000 per year. As an unrestricted award, funds may be used in any way that advances the nominee’s research. This award may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship. Awards are disbursed in October each year as a direct payment.
Nomination Period
The Beth Ray ARCS Foundation Oregon Scholar Award is awarded every three years, with fall 2021 marking its inaugural offering. The next award cycle (3rd offering) is for the 2027-2028 academic year with nominations accepted from late-September 2026 through mid-February 2027.
Please note that this posted deadline refers to the date/time by which the Office of Graduate Education must receive the final and complete nomination packet and any accompanying materials. Academic units may have earlier deadlines to accommodate their internal selection and nomination processes, so students are encouraged to verify the timeline with faculty and/or their graduate program leadership.
Evaluation Criteria
Quality of the nomination materials in addressing:
- The nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies
- The nominee’s scholarly potential and quality and impact of their scholarship in their field of study
- The nominee’s leadership and service
Nomination Procedure
Each of the eligible ARCS-approved OSU colleges may nominate no more than one nominee (total) per award cycle.
Nominations may be submitted by the nominee’s graduate program director, department chair/head or appropriate college leadership. Students may not apply directly for this award.
In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to prepare/upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention:
"Nominee’s Last Name_Department_BethRayARCS.pdf," and upload it through the nomination form.
- A nominating letter (2 pages maximum) from college leadership or the nominee’s major professor, unit chair/head that clearly describes (a) the nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (b) the nominee’s scholarly potential along with their proposed or current scholarship and its impact in their field of study; and (c) the nominee’s recent and most significant leadership roles and service activities.
- These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, their prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; their scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; their progression of academic performance over time; their commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; their intellectual curiosity, commitment, and degree progress to date; the strengths and skills they bring to their graduate studies; their leadership, service, or other significant involvement in relevant professional organizations; and the ways in which current scholarship will make a significant contribution to their scientific or technological field of study.
- A statement from the nominee (2 pages maximum) that clearly describes (a) their previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (b) their scholarship and its impact in their field of study; (c) their leadership roles and service; and (d) how this award will support them in their graduate studies. Nominees are encouraged to review the Office of Graduate Education’s OSU Grad Advantage core competencies and complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool.
- These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; progression of academic performance over time; commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; intellectual curiosity and degree progress to date; leadership, service, or other significant involvement in relevant professional organizations; and the ways in which current scholarship will make a significant contribution to their scientific or technological field of study.
- A copy of the nominee’s résumé or curriculum vitae.
Nomination Form
The ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary OSU Scholar Award is provided through the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter and funded by contributions from the Office of Graduate Education.
Award Details
The ARCS Foundation 10th Anniversary OSU Scholar Award is $18,000, payable over three years at $6,000 per year. As an unrestricted award, funds may be used in any way that advances the nominee’s research. This award may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship. Awards are disbursed in October each year as a direct payment.
Nomination Period
This specific ARCS award, ARCS Foundation Oregon 10th Anniversary OSU Scholar Award, is awarded every three years, with fall 2022 marking its inaugural offering. The next award cycle (3rd offering) is for the 2028-2029 academic year with nominations accepted from late-September 2027 through mid-February 2028.
Please note that this posted deadline refers to the date/time by which the Office of Graduate Education must receive the final and complete nomination packet and any accompanying materials. Academic units may have earlier deadlines to accommodate their internal selection and nomination processes, so students are encouraged to verify the timeline with faculty and/or their graduate program leadership.
Evaluation Criteria
Quality of the nomination materials in addressing:
- The nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies
- The nominee’s scholarly potential and quality and impact of their scholarship in their field of study
- The nominee’s leadership and service
Nomination Procedure
Each of the eligible ARCS-approved OSU colleges may nominate no more than one nominee (total) per award cycle.
Nominations may be submitted by the nominee’s graduate program director, department chair/head or appropriate college leadership. Students may not apply directly for this award.
In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to prepare/upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention:
"Nominee’s Last Name_Department_10thARCS.pdf," and upload it through the nomination form.
- A nominating letter (2 pages maximum) from college leadership or the nominee’s major professor, unit chair/head that clearly describes (a) the nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (b) the nominee’s scholarly potential along with their proposed or current scholarship and its impact in their field of study; and (c) the nominee’s recent and most significant leadership roles and service activities.
- These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, their prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; their scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; their progression of academic performance over time; their commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; their intellectual curiosity, commitment, and degree progress to date; the strengths and skills they bring to their graduate studies; their leadership, service, or other significant involvement in relevant professional organizations; and the ways in which current scholarship will make a significant contribution to their scientific or technological field of study.
- A statement from the nominee (2 pages maximum) that clearly describes (a) their previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (b) their scholarship and its impact in their field of study; (c) their leadership roles and service; and (d) how this award will support them in their graduate studies. Nominees are encouraged to review the Office of Graduate Education’s OSU Grad Advantage core competencies and complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool.
- These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; progression of academic performance over time; commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; intellectual curiosity and degree progress to date; leadership, service, or other significant involvement in relevant professional organizations; and the ways in which current scholarship will make a significant contribution to their scientific or technological field of study.
- A copy of the nominee’s résumé or curriculum vitae.
Nomination Form
Questions
For questions about this award or any Office of Graduate Education administered awards, please contact our Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships team